Full-fashioned stocking blank and method for knitting the same



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Dec. 18, 1962 w. M. PAYNE, JR 3,068,675

FULL-FASHIONED s'rocxmc BLANK AND METHOD FOR KNITTING THE SAME Filed June 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l I 50 kg 28 26 L: A!

Eli i INVENTOR.

WILLIAM M. PAYNE JR.

BY W9aW ATTORNEYS Dec. 18, 1962 w. M. PAYNE, JR 3,0 FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING BLANK AND METHOD FOR KNITTING THE SAME I Filed June 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORI ATTORNEYS WILLIAM M. PAYNE JRQ Dec. 18, 1962 w. M. PAYNE, JR 3,068,675

FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING BLANK AND METHOD FOR KNITTING THE SAME Filed June 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 L1 2 s 4 .s e 7 a /48 9 .90

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WILLIAM M. PAYNE JR.

ATTORNE YS.

Dec. 18, 1962 w, PAYNE, JR 3,068,675

FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING BLANK AND METHOD FOR KNITTING THE SAME Filed June 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5a 52 a 1) 18A 52 E J 41 i 7]: .K 4 55:

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15a 1029B 52 INVENTOR:

WILLIAM M. PAYNE JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,068,675 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 3,068,675 FULL-FASHIONED STOCKING BLANK AND METHOD FOR KNITTING THE SAME William M. Payne, In, Greensboro, N.C., assignor to Burlington Industries, Inc., Greensboro, N.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 15, 1959, Ser. No. 820,409 22 Claims. (Cl. 66182) This invention relates to an improved full-fashioned stocking blank and to an improved method and apparatus for knitting the same.

In knitting presentday full-fashioned stocking blanks, yarns are fed to the knitting needles of a conventional full-fashioned knitting machine by yarn carriers for a plurality of courses to form the various parts of -a stock ing, i.e., the welt, body, foot and reinforced areas of the latter. At the completion of the knitting of each part of the stocking and at the commencement of the knitting of another part, yarns generally are changed by removing carriers from or adding carriers to the knitting field, an operation which usually requires the machine to be stopped and the performance of manual operation by a knitter in shifting carrier rods into and out of operation. Furthermore, in fol-lowing this procedure, the yarn ends both entering and leaving the knitting field must be severed, an operation performed, normally by hand, before the stocking blank can be removed from the knitting machine. Additionally, those yarns leaving the knitting field must be wrapped under a yarn clip or holding device after being severed, in order to prevent unthreading of the corresponding carrier. Such clips should be cleaned of yarn tailings at least after a blank is completed and before another is commenced to avoid the possibility of a loose tail intermingling with the yarns of the latter blank and possibly causing a defect. Because of the large number and spacing between entering and leaving yarn ends, the severing, wrapping of yarn ends, and clip cleaning operations, together with the shifting operation, accounts for a major portion of the labor involved in operating a full-fashioned knitting machine. The severing of a yarn end leaves a short length of yarn projecting from a selvedge of the blank. These short yarn lengths are called tails.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank that minimizes, and in some instances eliminates, the necessity of removing or adding yarn carriers to and from the knitting field, once the operation of knitting the blank has been initiated, until after the operation of knitting the blank has been completed.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved apparatusand method for knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank which minimizes the locations thereon at which yarn ends must be severed, and in some instances requires severing yarn ends only at the juncture of a double welt with the body, or with a shadow welt, and only at the end of the toe of the completed blank.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank which requires severing yarn ends on only one side and at the end of the toe of the completed blank.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved full-fashioned stocking blank on which the number of locations of yarn tails is minimized, and which in some instances has yarn tails only at the beginning and end of the blank, i.e., at the juncture of a double welt with the body, or with a shadow welt, and at the end of the toe.

chine.

The seaming of a full-fashioned stocking blank normally is performed by a sewing or seaming machine. Such machine includes a selvedge uncurler into which the selvedges are fed in a generally horizontal upwardlyfacing position, and from which the selvedge is'passed to the sewing mechanism of the machine. 'The amount of fabric, or number of wales, included within the seam formed by the seaming machine is dependent upon the relative position, i.e., the inclination of the fabric in the uncurler to the sewing mechanism. This position can be controlled to some extent by machine adjustments, but primarily is controlled by the inclination with which the operator feeds the selvedges into the uncurler.

In conventional seaming machines the selvedges are fed into the machine in a generally horizontal position. The more upwardly inclined, however, i.e., the lower the un-seamed portion of the blank is held by the operator in feeding it into the uncurler, the less fabric is included in the seam, and consequently, the smaller and finer the seam. Of course, the smaller the seam the finer the appearance of the finished stocking. It requires extremely careful manipulation on the part of an operator, however, to sew a fine seam in a full-fashioned stocking. Consequently, the formation of fine or small seams tends to decrease production of an operator of a seaming ma- It also will be seen that even though a fine seam betters the appearance'of a stocking, the number of wales introduced into the seam is reduced. Such-reduction tends to decrease the strength of such a scam in a stock'- ing'seamed from a conventional blank.

Hence, it is another object of this invention to .pro vide an improved method and apparatus for knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank which provides reinforced selvedges that not only require a minimum of skill on the part of an operator of a seaming machine to seam blanks having such selvedges, but also serve to reinforce the resulting seam, even though a minimum number of wales are included therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plane view of a full-fashioned stocking blank knitted in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the yarns are laid in the dotted line area 2 of the blank shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the yarns are laid in the dotted line area 3 of the blank shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the yarns are laid in the dotted line area 4 of the blank shown in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary somewhat diagrammatic elevational view of yarn carrier rods, stops and latches therefor, and controls for certain of the stops, of a fullfashioned knitting machine embodying this invention.

FIGURE 6 is a view of the left-hand side of the carried rod arresting device shown at the left-hand side of FIGURE 5. T

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the carrier rod arresting device shown in FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken surbstantiallyon line 8-8 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a sequential diagram illustrating the movements of carrier rods for laying yarn courses in the manners shown in FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a full-fashioned stocking blank having a double or folded welt 10, a shadow welt 12, a body 14, and a foot '16, the latter having the usual instep portion 18 and reinforced side areas to form heel portions 20, sole.

portions 22, and a toe 24. In the preferred form of this invention, all of the yarns employed in knitting the blank are introduced into the knitting field of a full-fashioned knitting machine, and consequently into the fabric of the blank, at the beginning of a knitting operation and remain in the knitting field, and in the fabric of the blank, until the end of the operation of knitting the blank. In some instances, however, a minimum number of yarns may be introduced or removed from the knitting field after the beginning of the knitting operation and before the blank is completed, in order to knit certain difierent styles, as will be explained hereinafter.

For purposes of illustration, the preferred form of a blank shown in FIGURE 1 is knitted from three yarns 26, 28 and 30. The yarn 26 is relatively heavy and is used to knit the entire welt and 12, as shown in FIGURE 4. It also serves as a right splicing yarn for interknitting with the body yarn 28, later described, to form the reinforced areas in the heel 20' and sole portions 22 on the righthand side of the blank, as shown in FIGURE 2 and 3. The same yarn 26 is also interknit with the other two yarns 28 and 30 in the toe 24 for reinforcing purposes, as shown FIGURE 2. The second yarn 28, usually lighter than the welt yarn 26, is used to knit the body 14 and the instep portion 18 of the blank, as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. The third yarn 30 serves as a left splicing yarn for interknitting with the body yarn 28 to form the reinforced heel and sole areas 20 and 22 on the left-hand side of the blank, and also for interknitting with the welt and body yarns 26 and 28 in the me 24, as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3. In this connection, the term yarn, as used herein, also embraces multiple-yarn single-carrier usage, wherein two or more yarns may be knit as one by threading them through a single carrier.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, both the welt and body yarns 26 and 28 are introduced into the right-hand side of the blank at the beginning of the entire welt, while the left splicing yarn 30 is introduced into the lefthand side of the blank at the beginning of the entire welt. Since the blank shown for illustrative purposes has a double welt 10 and a shadow welt 12, tails 32, 34 and 36 of the respective yarns 26, 28 and 30- project from the selvedges 38 and 40 ofthe blank at the junction between the welt portions 10 and 12. It also is possible, as hereinafter explained, to introduce the left. splicing yarn 30 into the blank from the right-hand side. "In that case, the tail 36 would project from the same point as the tails 32 and 34. The welt yarn 26 is employed to knit the welt throughout all of its courses and all of its wales, i.e., its entire width, while during the knitting of the welt the body yarn 28 and the left splicing yarn 30 are knit throughout all of the welt courses for a width of a few walesonly, e.g., two wales, respectively, along the right and lefthand sides of the blank, as shown best in FIGURE 4. If the left splicing yarn 30 is introduced into the blank from the right-hand side, it is knit for one course only in all of the wales of the welt, and then knit through about two wales only along the left-hand side of the blank in the remaining courses of the welt. When the end 'of the shadow welt 12 is reached, i.e., when the entire welt is completely knitted,

knitting of the body yarn 28, which is knitted in all of the body wales, continues while at this point the welt or right splicing yarn 26 commences to be knitted for a width of a few wales only along'the right-hand edge of the blank. At the same time, the knitting of the left splicing yarn 30 continues along the left-hand side of the body .14 for a width of a few wales only, all as best shown in FIGURE74.

At the beginning of the foot '16, the right and left splicing yarns 26 and 30 are interknitted with the body yarn 28 in a conventional manner in the right and lefthand'reinforced areas to form the heel and sole portions 20 and22. At this time,the body yarn 2'8 continues to be laid in courses that extend completely across the width of the foot 16 so as to form the instep portion 18 between the right and left-hand reinforced areas 20 and 22 of the foot, as shown in FIGURE 3. Substantially at the end of knitting the reinforced areas for the sole 22, and at the beginning of knitting of the toe 24, all three of the yarns 26, 28 and 30 are interknit in courses that extend com.- pletely across the width of the blank to form the reinforced toe portion of the blank, as shown in FIGURE 2. Alternatively, one or the other splicing yarns 26 or 30 may be curtailed in knitting width (not shown) i.e., knit in only some of the wales of the toe portion, to form various styles or appearances for the reinforced area of the toe portion.

Because of the aforementioned method of knitting, it will be seen that the ends of the yarns 26, 28 and 30 need be severed by an operator only at the beginning and end of the stocking blank. It also will be seen that such yarn ends will occur and leave tails 32, 34 and 36 only at the juncture of the folded welt 10 with the shadow welt 12, on both the right and left-hand sides of the blank, and tails 42, 44 and 46 only at the toe. Thus, the labor involved in severing yarn ends, and removing yarn tails, is greatly reduced. In the event that the left splicing yarn 30 is introduced into the blank from the right side, as described above, tails will be left only on the right-hand side of the blank at the junction of the folded welt 10 and shadow welt 12, thus further reducing the work of severing ends.

In some instances it may be desired to use splicing yarns of different denier than the welt yarn. In that event the principle of this invention can be carried even further by introducing separate welt and right splicing yarns (not shown) at the beginning of the welt. The right splicing yarn and the body yarn would then be floated in a few wales only along the right-hand side of the blank and in all the courses of the welt as the latter is being knitted with the welt yarn. Both right splicing and welt yarns are then floated in a few wales only along the right side of the blank during the knitting of the body with the body yarn, and then, during the knitting of the foot portion only the welt yarn is floated in a few wales only along the right-hand side of the blank while the right splicing yarn is knitted into the reinforced areas of the foot portion, as previously described. Of course, the left splicing yarn would be knitted throughout the entire blank as described before, i.e., for the most part floated for a few wales only along the left-hand side of the blank until the reinforced areas of the foot portion are reached and then knitted into such areas.

As an alternative to the foregoing knitting procedure for welt and splicing yarns of different denier, the right splicing yarn could be introduced into the blank at the right-hand side only when the body is reached, and at the same time the welt yarn could be removed from the blank at the right-hand side. The right splicing yarn would then be floated in a few wales only along the righthand side of the blank until the reinforced areas of the foot portion are reached. Of course, this procedure would result in yarn tails (not shown) at the junction of the shadow welt and the body at the right-hand side of the blank, but the procedure could be used in instances where a knitting machine had not been modified, as described hereinafter, sufliciently to knit welt and splicing yarns of. different deniers in full accordance with this invention.

It will be seen that by floating the body yarn 28 through a width of only a few wales along the right-hand side of the blank and the left splicing yarn 30 through a width of only a few wales along the left-hand edge of the blank during the knitting of the welt 10 and shadow welt 12, and also by floating the welt yarn 26 and left splicing yarn 30 through a width of only a few wales along the right and left-hand edges of the blank, respectively, during the knitting of the body 14, reinforced selvedges 38 and 40 are formed. The alternative methods described above for knitting welt and splicing yarns of different deniers likewise form reinforced selvedges. These reinforced selvedges greatly facilitate the seaming operation because their greater bulk acts as a natural stop against the top of the guide of the uncurler of a seaming machine to impede the dropping or pulling of the blank out of the uncurler as the upward inclination of the blank being fed into the uncurler is increased by an operator so as to form a fine seam in the machine. Because the operation of forming a fine seam is thus facilitated, seaming operator production is increased. It also will be seen that the reinforced selvedges 38 and 40 increase the strength of the seam of the finished stocking (not shown), even though the same may include only a minimum number of wales.

It also will be noted that the aforedescribed method of knitting a blank requires the introduction of yarns into the knitting field only at the beginning of the knitting operation, save in the one exceptional case mentioned above wherein splicing and welt yarns of different denier are introduced and removed from the blank at the junction of the shadow welt with the body. Consequently, the improved method eliminates, with but one exception, the time-consuming and laborious operation of introducing or removing yarn carriers from the knitting field intermediate the beginning and end of the knitting operation. Since a knitting machine usually must be stopped during such introduction or removal of yarn carriers, the time required to knit a stocking in accordance with this invention is decreased.

Referring now to FIGURE 5 in the drawings, there is shown apparatus for practicing the foregoing method. Illustrated in that figure are somewhat conventional parts of a full-fashioned knitting machine including a plurality of yarn-carrier rods 42, usually 8 or 9 in number, only 8 being shown and so sequentially numbered, 1 to 8, end stops 44 for such rods carried on the usual narrowing heads (not shown) at the opposite ends of the machine, and yarn carriers 46 carried by each for for laying yarn along a bank of needles 47. A full-fashioned knitting machine usually includes a plurality of knitting sections, but only one section is illustrated in FIGURE 5 for purposes of simplification. Modern full-fashioned knitting machines also are usually equipped with carrier rod re bound arresting devices 48, 50 one carried on each narrowing head at the opposite ends of the machine. These devices, together with dog assemblies 52 on the rods 42, form an arrangement for each rod that is in the nature of a latch automatically engageable when a rod hits an end stop 44, in order to prevent rebound of the rod and also to hold the rod against such stop while the needles (not shown) are forming loops. The latches are automatically released before the carrier rods 42 are moved in the opposite direction by their conventional friction box drive (not shown).

Each carrier rod arresting device 48 and 50, as is best shown by the enlarged views of the device 48 in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8, includes a housing 54 slidable on longitudinal guide rails 56 on the narrowing head and secured to a narrowing nut 58 on a narrowing spindle 60 so as to move with the end stops 44 in the well-known manner. The housing 54 has an opening through which extend the yarn carrier rods 42, which usually are eight in number, as previously mentioned. For purposes of illustration here, however, only three of such rods are used, No. l for laying the body yarn 28, No. 5 for laying the left splicing yarn 30, and N0. 6 for laying the Welt yarn 26, which, in the example described hereinafter, also is employed as the right splicing yarn. The remaining yarn carrier rods 42, in the illustrated examplary apparatus embodiment of the invention, may be laid out of the knitting field, in a well-known manner.

Slidable in upright guide openings 64 in the housing 54 are latch bolts 66, one for each rod 42, and each having an end portion projecting downwardly into the opening 62 and provided with an abutment surface 68 engageable with a corresponding upright end surface 70 of an adjustable keeper element 72 of a dog assembly 52 which includes a cam member 74 rigidly secured, as by rivets 76, to the rod 42. As best shown in FIGURE 8, the keeper element 72 is secured for adjustment longitudinally along its rod 42 by means of a stud 78 secured to the element and freely slidable in a bore 80 in the came member 74. A nut 82, engaged with the stud 78, is confined between the side surfaces of a slot 84 in the member 74 which intersects the bore 80. Obviously, rotation of the nut 82 adjusts the element 72 longitudinally along its rod 42. Preferably, a lock nut 86 is mounted on the stud 78 for bearing engagement against an end of the member 74.

Each latch bolt 66 has a lateral arm 88 at its upper end engageable with an upper surface 90 (FIGURE 8) on the housing 54 to limit downward movement of the bolt. A coil tension spring 92 is connected between the outer end of each arm 88 and a lateral pin 94 on the housing 54 to constantly urge the bolt 66 downwardly into latching position. Each cam member 74 has an inclined caming surface 96 engageable with a rounded nose portion 98 on the end of the corresponding latch bolt 66. Consequently, when a carrier rod 42 is moved, by its friction box drive (not shown), toward an end stop 44, the inclined surface 96 on the cam member 74 at the corresponding end of the rod engages with the rounded nose 98 of the corresponding latch bolt 66 and cams the latter upwardly so that the dog assembly 52 can slide therebeneath until the rod engages with its end stop 44. At this time, the keeper'element 72 is so positioned that the surfaces 70 and 68 on such element and on the latch bolt, respectively, will automatically engage and prevent rebound of the rod 42.

Fitting within a groove 100 in the top of the housing 54 extending transverse to the rods 42 is an arm 102 of a releasing lever 104 positioned to engage beneath the underside of the lateral arms 88 of all the latch bolts 66. The lever 104 is mounted for substantially upright swinging movement on a horizontal pivot pin 106. The free end of the other arm 107 of the lever 104 is operated periodically in timed relation with the knitting operation by the cam mechanism (not shown) of the machine to swing the lever counterclockwise, as viewed in FIGURE 6, to thereby lift all of the latch bolts 66 sufliciently to release the carrier rods 42 for movement, by their friction drives, toward the other end of the machine, i.e., to the right, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 8.

The construction and operation of the carrier rod re bound arresting device 48 at the left-hand side of the machine, as viewed in FIGURE 5, is identical to that of the device 50 at the right-hand side of the machine, so that no detailed description of the right-hand device is deemed necessary. The construction of each device, as heretofore described, is generally conventional.

For purposes of the exemplary apparatus embodiment of this invention, each carrier rod rebound arresting device 48 and 50 is somewhat modified, however, to include a releasable stop or block 108 engageable with another end surface 110 on the keeper element 72 on a selected rod 42 to limit movement of the latter, away from its end stop 44 at the corresponding end of the machine, to a distance substantially equal to only a few, such as two, needles or wales. Thus, the carrier rod rebound arresting device48 at the left-hand side of the machine, as viewed in FIGURE 5, is provided with an enlargement 112 of its upright guide opening 64 for the latch bolt 66 for No. 5 rod, as best shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. Positioned and guided within such enlarged portion 112 of the opening 64, to the right of the bolt 66, is a vertically reciprocable stop or block 108 having a lower end movable downwardly into the opening 62 and having an abutment surface 114 engageable with the end surface 110 on the keeper element 2 on rod No. 5, as shown best in FIGURE 8. When such rod is in engagement with its left-hand end stop 44, the distance between the end surface 110 on the keeper element 72 and the opposed abutment surface 114 on the end of the stop 108 is equal to substantially only a few wales. Consequently, when the latch bolt 66 for No. 5 rod 42 is released and the rod moved to the right, by its friction box drive, the rod will move only a few wales before it is arrested by engagement between the element 72 and the stop 108, when the latter is in its lower operative position shown in FIG- URES 5 and 8.

o The upper end of the stop 108 is provided with a lateral arm 116 engageable with an upper surface 118 of the housing to limit downward movement of the stop into a position wherein its lower end will not engage with the rod No. 5 but wherein engagement between the element 72 and the abutment surface 114 can occur. A coil tension spring 120 is connected between the outer end of the arm 116 and a pin 121 on the side of the housing 54 to normally urge the stop 108 into its lower operative position shown in FIGURES 5 and 8. Movement of the stop 108 into an upper inoperative position preferably is effected by a solenoid 122 mounted on the housing 54 of the device 48 and having its armature 124 connected to the arm 116. Thus, it will be seen that when the solenoid 122 is energized, the stop 108 is moved up to its inoperative position, and when the solenoid is de-energized the spring 120 moves the stop down into its operative position.

In lieu of the automatic operation of the stops 108, as later described, the solenoid 122 and spring 120 may be eliminated and the stop provided with a detent arrangement for manual operation. Such arrangement may include spaced recesses 126 in the side surface of the stop 108 for the alternative reception of the rounded nose of a detent pin 128 urged inwardly into engagement with the side of the stop by a leaf spring 130 secured beneath V a shoulder on the pin 121, as shown in FIGURE 8.

The carrier rod rebound arresting device 50 at the right-hand side of the machine also is modified to include a similar solenoid-operated stop construction. In this right-hand device 50, stops 108A and 108B (FIGURE 9) are provided for engagement with the keeper elements 72 of the dog assemblies 52 on the No. 1 and No. 6 carrier rods, respectively. Such stops 108A and 10813 are arranged so that when they are moved down into their operative positions, movement of the No. 1 and No. 6 rods 42 to the left, away from their right-hand end stops 44, is limited to a distance of only a few wales, as shown by the position of No. 1 carrier rod in FIGURES 5 and 9A.

Preferably, the solenoid 122, which operates the ntermediate stop 108 for No. 5 carrier rod automatically operated in timed sequence with the knitting operation by a pattern chain 132 of theoknitting machine which carries adjustable but-tons 134 adapted to cammingly engage a cam follower 136 on a lever 138 and swing it clockwise in a known manner, as shown in the left hand side of FIGURE 5. Connected to the outer end of the lever 138 is a reciprocating switch-operating member 140 adapted to operate a switch (not shown) within a housing 142 fixed to the knitting machine. The arrangement is such that when a button 134 on the chain 132 engages the cam follower 136 on the lever 138 and swings the same momentarily outwardly, the switch within the housing 142 is operated, i.e., either opened or closed, and remains in either its open or closed condition -until the switch is again operated by a subsequent button on the chain. The switch is included in a series electric circuit which includes a source of electric power, e.g., the conductors 144oand the solenoid 122.

A similar arrangement is had at the right-hand side of the machine wherein another pattern chain 146 is provided with buttons 148 engageable with cam followers on to operate a separate switch (not shown) within a housing 154 fixed to the machine. One of the switches within the housing 154 is connected to operate the solenoid 122A which operates the stop 108A for the No. 1 carrier rod 42, while the other switch within the housing 154 is connected to operate the solenoid (not shown) which operates the stop 108B (FIGURES 9C and 9D) for the No. 6 carrier rod.

In a knitting operation involving this invention, the buttons 134 and 148 on the pattern chains 132 and 146 are so arranged that at the beginning of a knitting operation, the solenoids for the stops 108A and 108 for the No. 1 and No. 5 carrier rods, respectively, are de-energized so that the stops are moved, by their springs 120, down into their operative positions, and the solenoid which operates the stop 108B for the No. 6 carrier rod is energized, so that such stop is moved up into its inoperative position, as shown in FIGURES 5, 9A and 9B.

Consequently, as knitting progresses the yarns 26, 28 and 30 are laid in the manner shown in the lower portion of FIGURE 4. The No. 6 carrier rod 42 is free to traverse throughout the entire width of the blank being knitted without being restrained by its stop 108B, as shown in FIGURES 9A and 9B, so that it lays the welt yarn 26 in courses extending the entire width of the blank. The No. l and N0. 5 rods 42 are restrainde against movement for more than a few wales by their stops 108A and 108, as shown in FIGURES 5, 9A and 9B, so that they will lay the body yarn 28 and left splicing yarn 30 only through a distance of a few wales at the right and left-hand sides, respectively, of the blank being knitted, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

When the welt has been knitted, i.e., when the end of the shadow welt 12 is reached, appropriate buttons 148 on the pattern chain 146 swing the levers 150 and 152 to operate the switches within the housing 154 to energize the solenoid 122A which operates the stop 108A of the No. 1 carrier rod to thus render such stop inoperative, and to de-energize the solenoid (not shown) which operates the stop 108B for the No. 6 carrier rod 42 to-thus render such stop operative, as shown in FIGURES 9C .and 9D. Consequently, the No. 1 carrier rod 42 commences to lay the body yarn 28 across the entire width of the blank being knitted, while the No. 6 carrier rod 42 will lay the welt yarn 26 in only a few wales adjacent the right-hand side of the blank, as shown in the upper portion of FIGURE 4.

Knitting continues in this fashion until the foot portion 16 is reached. At this time, appropriate buttons 134 and 148 on the chains 132 and 146 are arranged to swing the levers to operate the switches to energize the solenoids for the stops 108 and 1083 for No. 5 and No. 6 rods, respectively, to thus render such stops inoperative. Consequently, all three carrier rods Nos. 1, 5 and 6 are free to move without restraint by their respective stops 108A, 108 and 108B. Whereupon, the No. 5 and No. 6 carrier rods commence to lay the left and right splicing yarns 30 and '26, respectively, in the right and left reinforced areas 20 and 22, respectively, of the foot portion 16 in a conventional manner, i.e., the inward movement of these carrier rods is limited by conventional splicing blocks (not shown) postione'd adjacent the center portion of the machine. The solenoids are maitnained energized througohut the remainder of the operation of knitting the blank so that the foot portion 16, including the instep 18, right and left-hand reinforced areas 20 and 22, 'respectively and the toe 24 are knit in a generally conventional manner. o

Asaforedescribed, in lieu of the above automatic operation of the carrier rod stops 108, 108A and 1083 by the pattern mechanism of the machine, the stops may be operated manually.

It will be realized that in the event the principles of the invention are extended to include apparatus for knitting welt and splicing yarns of different deniers, another carrier rod must be used in the knitting operation. Consequently, the right-hand device 50 would have to be further modified to include a third stop or block 108 for such additional rod, together with the necessary parts for automatic operation of such stop. Furthermore, it will be realized that even more than four carrier rods, with appropriate modification of the rod rebound arresting devices, can be used to practice the invention in'the event that it is desired to knit a blank with more than four yarns. It also is within the contemplation of this invention to provide automatic stops for practicing the method that are not necessarily associated with the carrier rod rebound arresting devices.

It further will be realized that certain of the yarn floating procedures can be reversed as respects the sides of the stocking blank. Thus, for example, in knitting the welt, the body yarn could be floated in a few wales only along the left-hand side of the blank. Also, all the yarns could be introduced into the blank from the left-hand side instead of the right. Furthermore, the welt can be knitted with two yarns while floating the third along one side, or with three yarns with no floating being necessary until the body of the stocking blank is reached.

.It thus will be seen that the objects of this invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that the foregoing specific embodiment has been shown and described only for the purpose of illustrating the principles of this invention and is subject to extensive change without departure from such principles; Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within-the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

. 1. A method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt and leg portion, the steps comprising: knitting the welt with a first yarn while interknitting a second yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses in the welt in a few wales only adjacent one of the selvedges of the blank; and knitting the leg portion with the second yarn while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses in the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent one of the selvedges of the blank.

. 2. The method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank, the steps comprising: knitting the blank with at leastthree yarns; knitting each of the yarns in all of the courses of the blank; and knitting one of the yarns in all of the wales in a series of successive courses while the other two yarns are knitted in said successive courses in afew wales only adjacent the two selvedges of the blank.

3. The method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt, a leg portion, and a foot portion provided with left and right splicings, the steps comprising: knitting the welt with a first yarn while interknitting a second yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses in the welt in a few wales only adjacent one selvedge of the blank and while interknitting a third yarn with the first yarn in all of the'courses of the welt in a few wales only adjacent the other selvedge of the blank; knitting the leg portion with the second yarn 'while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses in the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said one selvedge of the blank and while interknitting the third yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses of the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said other selvedge of the blank; and knitting the foot portion with the second yarn while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn to form the splicing contiguous with said one selvedge and while interknitting the third yarn with the second yarn to form the other splicing.

4. The method defined in claim 3 in which the first, second, and third yarns are each knitted in all of the courses of the blank.

5. The method defined in claim 4 in which the blank includes a toe portion and including the additional step of interknitting the first, second, and third yarns in all of the courses of the toe portion.

third yarn, said blank having yarn ends at the ends of the first and last courses only.

8. A full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt knitted from a first yarn and a leg portion knitted from a second yarn, the first and second yarns being interknitted in all the courses in said welt and in said leg portion in a few wales only adjacent one of the selvedges of the blank.

9. A full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt, a leg portion, and a foot portion provided with left and right splicings, said welt and one of said splicings being knitted of a first yarn, said leg and foot portions being knitted of a second yarn, and the other of said splicings being knitted of a third yarn, said first and second yarns being interknitted in all the courses of said welt and leg portion in a few wales only adjacent that selvedge of the blank contiguous with said one splicing, and said third yarn being interknitted with said first yarn in all the courses of said welt and with said second yarn in all the courses of said leg portion in a few wales only adjacent the other selvedge of the blank.

10. A full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt and one splicing knitted from a first yarn and having a leg portion knitted from a second yarn, said first and second yarns being interknitted in all the courses in said welt and in said leg portion in a few wales only adjacent one of the selvedges of the stocking blank, and said first and second yarns being interknitted in all the courses in said splicing. 11. A full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt and one splicing knitted from a first yarn, a leg portion knitted from a second yarn, and the other splicing knitted from a third yarn, said first and second yarns being interknitted in all the courses in said welt and in said leg portion in a few wales only adjacent that selvedge of the blank contiguous with said one splicing, and said third yarn being interknitted with said first yarn in all the courses in said welt and with said second yarn in all the courses of said leg portion in a few wales only adjacent the other selvedge of the blank.

12. The method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt and a leg portion, the steps comprising: initially introducing at least three yarns into the blank at the beginning of the knitting of the welt and interknitting all three yarns in all of the courses of the welt; and interknitting one of the yarns with a second in all of the courses of the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent one selvedge of the blank while interknitting the third of the yarns with the second in all of the courses of the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent the other selvedge of the blank.

3. The method defined in claim 12 wherein all three yarns are initially introduced into the blank at the same side of the blank.

14. The method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt and a leg portion, the steps comprising: knitting the welt with a first yarn while interknitting a second yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses in the welt in a few wales only adjacent one of the selvedges of the blank; and knitting the leg portion with the second yarn while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses in the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said one selvedge of 7 .11 blank; and knitting the leg portion with the second yarn while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses in the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said one selvedge of the blank and while interknitting the third yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses of the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said other selvedge of the blank. 7

6. The method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt, a leg portion and a foot portion which includes an instep portion, the steps comprising: knitting the welt witha first yarn while interknitting a second yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses in the welt in a few wales only adjacent one selvedge of the blank and while interknitting a third yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses of the welt in a few wales only adjacent the other selvedge of the blank; knitting the leg portion with the second yarn while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses in the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said one selvedge of the blank andwhile interknitting the third yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses of the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said other selvedge of the blank; and knitting the foot portion with the second yarn while interknitting the third yarn with the second yarn in at least some of the courses in the foot portion in a number of wales adjacent said otherselvedge of the blank and on one side of the instep portion and while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn in substantially the same courses in the foot portion, and in substantially the same number of wales adjacent said one selvedge of the blank and on the other side of the instep portion.

17. The method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt, a leg portion and a foot portionwhich includes an instep portion and a toe portion, the

steps comprising: knitting the welt with a first yarn while interknitting a second yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses of the welt in a few wales only adjacent one selvedge of the blank and while interknitting a third yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses of the welt in a fewwales only adjacent the other selvedge of the blank; knitting the leg portion with the second yarn while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses in the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said one selvedge of the blank and while interknitting the third yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses of the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said other selvedge of the blank; and knitting the foot portion with the second yarn while interknitting the third yarn with the second yarn in at least some of the courses inthe foot portion in a number of wales adjacent said other selvedge of the blank and on one side of the instep portion and while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn in substantially the same courses in the foot portion, and in substantially the same number of wales adjacent said one selvedge of the blank and on the other side of the instep portion; and interknitting all three yarns in an of the courses in the toe portion.

l8.'The method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt, a leg portion and a foot portion, the steps comprising: knitting the welt with a first yarn While 12 courses of the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said other selvedge of the blank; and knitting the foot portion with the second yarn while interknitting the first and third yarns each with the second yarn in at least some of the courses in the foot portion and in a number of wales adjacent the opposite selvedges of the blank.

19. The method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank having a Welt, a leg portion and a foot portion having right and left reinforced areas, the steps comprising: initially introducing first, second and third yarns into the blank at one side thereof at the beginning of the knitting of the welt; knitting the welt with the first yarn; knitting the leg portion with the second yarn while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses in the leg portion in a few wales only along one side of the blank and While interknitting the third yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses of the leg portion in a few wales only along the other side of the blank; and interknitting the third yarn with the second yarn to form one of the reinforced areas in the foot portion while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn to form the other reinforced area of the foot portion.

20. The method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt, the steps comprising: initially introducing first, second and third yarns into the blank at one side thereof at the beginning of the knitting of the welt; interknitting the third yarn with the first yarn in at least one initial course, and in all of the wales thereof, while interknitting the second yarn with the first 'yarn in said course in a few wales only along said one side of the blank; knitting the remaining courses of the welt with the first yarn while continuing to interknit the second ya'rn with the first yarn in said remaining courses in a few wales only along said one side of the blank and while interknitting the third yarn with the first yarn in said remaining courses in a few wales only along the other side of the blank.

21. The method of knitting a full-fashioned stocking blank having a welt and a legportion, the steps comprising: initially introducing at least three yarns into the blank at the beginning of the knitting of the welt and knittingeach of the yarns in all of the courses of the welt; knitting at least two of the yarns in all of the courses of the leg portion while knitting one of said two yarns in all of the wales of the leg portion and while knitting the other of said two yarns in a few wales only of the leg portion adjacent one selvedge of the blank.

22. The method defined in claim 21 including the additional steps of: ceasing to knit the third yarn in the blank at the end of the knitting of the welt and terminating said knitting of the third yarn at the other selvedge of the blank; and initially introducing a fourth yarn into the blank at the beginning of the knitting of the leg portion and at said other selvedge of the blank; and knitting the fourth yarn in all of the courses of the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said other selvedge of interknitting a second yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses in the welt in a few wales only adjacent one of the selvedges of the blank and while interknitting a third yarn with the first yarn in all of the courses in the welt in a few wales only adjacent the "other selvedgeof the blank; knitting the leg portion withthe second yarn while interknitting the first yarn with the second yarn in all of the courses in the leg portion in a few wales only adjacent said one selvedge of the blank and while interknitting the third yarn with the second yarn in all of'the.

the blank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,077,557 Gastrich Apr. 20, 1937 2,108,540 Lochhead Feb. 15, 1938 2,112,610 Sherman Mar. 29, 938 2,195,578 Meinig et al. Apr. 2, 1940 2,485,917 Pianta Oct. 25, 1949 2,583,453 Weisbecker Jan. 22, 1952 2,737,035 Bryan et al. Mar. 6, 1956 2,762,215 'Bell Sept. 11, 1956 2,925,725 Urlaub Feb. 23, 1960 2,955,444 Stucki Oct. 11, 1960 

